FIFA’s battle to win over top clubs ahead of the revamped 2021 Club World Cup

FIFA announced in October 2019 that the first edition of the revamped 24-team Club World Cup will take place in 2021. The announcement of the expanded tournament received some push back from major clubs who are reluctant to participate in the tournament. This fact puts the success of the tournament at risk, which depends on clubs and their willingness to compete in the worldwide tournament. FIFA is under pressure to rebrand the tournament and make it a favorite among fans as well as to address the issues raised by clubs as an integral part of restructuring the competition.

Photo Credit: FIFA.com

The main issue on the table for the recently formed World Football Clubs Association (WFCA) is the FIFA Club World Cup which will require substantial coordination between the world governing body and the clubs in order to improve the scheduled world cup contest.

The New World Club Cup format

China will host the first-ever edition of what FIFA boss Gianni Infantino calls a real showcase of the world’s best teams.  The move to expand the tournament from 7 teams to 24 teams is set to be a spectacle for fans who will get to see the best teams around the globe. Eight teams will come from Europe, six from South America, 3 from Africa, Asia and North America as well as one for Oceania. The tournament is likely to close the gap on some of the inequalities that hinder the development of the game in some parts of the world. European teams have won 11 out of the past 12 Club World Cups, and South American sides reached the final eight times in the past 12 years. The move by FIFA is a step forward for the global game by offering smaller leagues an opportunity to compete against the best in the world.

“The new FIFA World Cup for clubs will be a competition which every person who loves football looks forward to. It is the first real and true world cup for the best teams and clubs in the world.”- Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

Along with dealing with the backlash from clubs, the announcement caused a storm of criticism for FIFA’s decision on choosing China amidst human rights accusations over the protests in Hong Kong and the ongoing crisis of Uighur Muslims in China after FIFA had originally set the host as Qatar. However, the deaths of migrant workers during the construction of stadiums received strong criticism from human rights organizations over the treatment of migrants in Qatar. FIFA has been accused of not paying enough attention to human rights violations, which are among the problems that Infantino is faced with in launching the revamped cup.

ECA stands by its European Agenda

Photo Credit: UEFA.com

The European clubs have disagreements with FIFA over the expansion of the Club World Cup and with none more so than Juventus and European Club Association president, Andrea Agnelli. The ECA represents 232 of the continent’s leading sides and is in charge of the UEFA Champions League. Unsurprisingly one of the fiercest critics of this move has been the Italian billionaire highlighting that the FIFA corruption scandals culminating in 2015 arrests are a reason for FIFA to focus mainly on its role as a governing body to avoid such situations. Infantino invited seven top clubs, including Manchester United and Manchester City, to hear the proposals in Zurich.  As Europe’s biggest governing body with the capacity to give FIFA fierce pushback, ECA maintains that FIFA should keep its place a governing body and play its role of just regulating the sport. Angelli’s plans for European football include making the seasons in Europe more connected and taking the European game to a whole new level. He also talks of “harmonization” of transfer windows, refereeing, and a mandatory summer month of rest for the players.

His other ambitious plans to raise up the UEFA League, will most of all come head to head with Infantino’s plans for an expanded format for a worldwide tournament. Infantino has already spoken to some teams in closed-door meetings, including big guns such as Barcelona and Real Madrid with big monies promised for participation. However, Agnelli has also raised concerns on the investment and the financial backing that FIFA has promised to put into the tournament, adding that the new structures were reminiscent of FIFA’s past dealings that led to the biggest corruption scandal in football history.

Photo Credit: FIFA.com

Can FIFA’s past be rewritten?

Infantino has tried his best to revamp FIFA and move away from the high profile corruption scandal that went down in 2015 implicating long term serving FIFA president, Sepp Blatter. A number of FIFA’s top brass received prosecutions from American and Swiss authorities over their involvement in bribery. A total of fourteen people were accused and investigated for a $150 million scheme that included bribes and kickbacks. FIFA senior vice president David Chung of Papua New Guinea was banned for 6 1/2 years and Kwesi Nyantakyi of Ghana was banned for life. Sheikh Ahmad of Kuwait withdrew his re-election candidacy when implicated in bribing voters. Reinhard Grindel of Germany resigned. Infantino was also investigated and soon cleared in 2016 by the FIFA ethics committee for his use of private jets. However, skepticism around the governing body’s dealings shadows the decisions that have to be made by FIFA. The arrests were a disaster for FIFA and it can be argued that the unscrupulous dealings of the former administration have cast a wary eye from most club presidents who are of the view that FIFA should be playing a role as the governing body and nothing else.

“Some of the fiercest criticism of the new format was that FIFA failed to consult clubs on the new calendar and how the tournament will be financed. As of late, eight clubs came together to form a club representative body called World Football Club Association which serves as a platform for constructive dialogue between the clubs and FIFA.”

— Margaret Mandeya, FirstTouch Africa

WFCA, a softer landing for FIFA

On WFCA, it is a friendlier alternative to ECA which has been opposed to FIFA’s current plans that are willing to cooperate with the governing body to make the flagship tournament successful in 2021. WFCA is currently made up of eight club representatives from Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. Members include Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, TP Mazembe, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Club America, Guangzhou Evergrande, New Zealand’s Auckland City, and Italy’s AC Milan leaders as well. The association is hoping to grow into a global platform for clubs and adding new clubs to the list of its members. WFCA working with FIFA adds merit to FIFA’s bid for the revamped World Cup and its proposal. This platform serves as a conduit for clubs to discuss their issues with FIFA and make sure that a tournament does happen and is in accord with the rest of the club’s interests.

With 2021 around the corner, FIFA’s work to gunner full support from clubs and the WFCA’s efforts remain crucial in ensuring the success of the revamped 24-team Club World Cup scheduled for China.

Are we witnessing the resurgence of the Italian Serie A?

Gianluigi Buffon (L) and Matthijs de Ligt (R) of Juventus are seen on arrival at the stadium prior to the International Champions Cup match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at the Nanjing Olympic Center Stadium on July 24, 2019 in Nanjing, China.

(July 23, 2019 - Source: Getty Images AsiaPac)

Can the Serie A really become more competitive?

Often considered to be one of the top five leagues in the world, conversations about the Serie A have continued to escalate in recent times. The attention towards the league has been vastly heightened by the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at the start of the 2018/2019 season. Ronaldo’s arrival has somewhat caused some more traction and attracted more players to come to Italy to compete. Now, with another Serie A season already here, one can’t help but wonder whether the upcoming season will be a matter of same champions, just a different season, or will the other teams step up to finally dethrone Juventus off their title. Furthermore, much will be expected from the Italian teams, particularly those participating in the UEFA Champions League, as they will be looking to bring home the trophy which has remained elusive for Italian teams for the past nine seasons. Below we have a look at the evolution of the league and possible outcomes from the new season.

One player can make all the difference

It is without a doubt that the Serie A has been gradually developing. One might be fooled to think that the league is not growing as Juventus continue to be the favorites to win every title on offer. However, that aside, one can argue that the league is growing for a number of different reasons. It is easy to underplay the effect that Ronaldo’s signing has had on Juventus and even the league. The best players are attracted to other top players, it makes the league better and more competitive. Firstly, the arrival of one of the top two best players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo shows the progressive nature of the league, as well as its ability to attract high quality players to the top flight. Undoubtedly, Ronaldo’s arrival in Italy has had many ripple effects for the league, many of which are positive. His arrival has further attracted more big name players with the likes of Matthijs De Ligt, Romelu Lukaku, Aaron Ramsey, Danilo, Diego Godin and even the veteran Franck Ribery, just to name a few. The presence of more quality players in the league will improve the competition for the league title amongst the teams, bring in more merchandise and TV money as well as provide fans with high quality football entertainment. Therefore, reasons or factors such as the above are proof of the league’s growth.

Juan Cuadrado (L) of Juventus is challenged by Marten De Roon of Atalanta during the Serie A match between Juventus and Atalanta BC on May 19, 2019 in Turin, Italy.

(May 18, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

How ready are the Serie A’s top sides in challenging for the Champions League?

Juventus

​Many expected that the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus would help the team finally bring the Champions League title back to Turin, but the Old Lady’s misfortunes in the tournament continued as they were put to the sword by Ajax Amsterdam in the quarterfinals of the tournament last season. Nevertheless, the main agenda for the new season is no different for this Juventus side as the UEFA Champions League title remains the ultimate goal for them. To this end, the team has made a number of changes in a bid to ready the squad for the new Champions League season. In a move that is surely to change the team’s style of play, Juventus brought in Maurizio Sarri to replace Massimiliano Allegri who left at the end of last season. The team has further been quite busy in the transfer market, signing Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot to beef up the midfield and improve the creativity in the belly of the park. Furthermore, Juve has also strengthened the team’s defence with the capture of one of the most sought after signings of the summer in Matthijs De Ligt, as well as the swap deal involving the signing of Danilo who came in place of Joao Cancelo. Combine that with the experience of Gianluiggi Buffon, as well as the presence of seasoned players like Ronaldo, Higuain and Mario Mandzukic, Juve surely have the ammunition to go all the way and win this season’s Champions League. But team depth is not the only puzzle to glory. The arrival of Maurizio Sarri is an interesting factor that can have an upside and downside. Others are worried that Sarri could take some time to settle in at Juve, and his new players may initially have problems adapting to his methods. The 60-year-old has no experience of winning top-flight titles, although he did lead Chelsea to Europa League glory last term. It therefore remains to be seen whether Sarriball will provide the right tonic and help finally bring the Champions League title to Turin for the first time in 23 years.

Rodrigo Bentancur (L) of Juventus and Nicolo Zaniolo of Roma compete for the ball during the Serie A match between Juventus and AS Roma on December 22, 2018 in Turin, Italy.

(Dec. 21, 2018 - Source: Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images Europe)

AS Roma

AS Roma are in another period of transition under new manager Paulo Fonseca and the Portuguese boss is imprinting a new style upon them. The Giallorossi did poorly for their standards last season and finished sixth. Furthermore, the team waved goodbye to one of its greatest legends in Daniel De Rossi, leaving the team with a huge void to fill in terms of leadership and overall quality in the team. This season, Roma bolstered its defense with the acquisition of Leonardo Spinazzola and Gianluca Mancini. In addition, Bryan Cristante, who enjoyed success at Atalanta is expected to spearhead the midfield. Having had one of the most porous back-lines in Serie A last season, the team has also brought in a centre back, Gianluca Mancini from Atalanta who has big shoes to fill following the departure of Manolas. Moreover, the team should be pleased by the news that Edin Dzeko’s future is now sorted and the player is staying put for another season. AS Roma also received a further boost last week when Italian midfield sensation Nicolò Zaniolo penned a new five-year deal with the club. All in all, Roma’s primary focus will be fighting for a top four position and perhaps a round of sixteen qualification in the Champions League in the season following the current one.

“Juventus hired Sarri to guide them to Champions League glory, while Inter brought in the services of another former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte. AS Roma captured the services of former Shakhtar Donetsk coach Paulo Fonseca. Only Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli and the highly impressive Gian Piero Gasperini, who led Atalanta to third position, remain unchanged.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

Supporters of Inter Milan during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Inter Milan and Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 20, 2010 in Milan, Italy.

(April 19, 2010 - Source: Claudio Villa/Getty Images Europe)

Inter Milan

Inter seem to have taken serious measures to help the team get back to challenging for league honours. Firstly, the appointment of former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte to replace Luciano Spalletti by the board is a statement of inten. Next to this, Inter snatched the signing of former Man United forward, Romelu Lukaku, beating rivals Juventus to his signature. Furthermore, the Nerazurri have also been able to add some experience defensively by signing former Atletico Madrid defender in Diego Godin who boasts loads of years of Champions League experience. The team further acquired the services of Nicolo Barella, Valentino Lazaro, Stefano Sensi and now imminently Alexis Sanchez, all who are expected to play a big part in this reinvented Inter squad this season. With Conte at the helm, this Inter team will most certainly be challenging for league honours and they seem to be one of the sides that can push Juventus all the way for the title.

Napoli

Napoli’s defence looks solid as a rock after their summer capture of Kostas Manolas from Roma. The Greek international will form a formidable centre-half partnership with the dependable Kalidou Koulibaly as coach Carlo Ancelotti plots to bring the league title to the city for the first time in 29 years. Napoli’s transfer window has been the quietest of the big teams in Serie A, but that doesn’t mean they were unsuccessful. The signing of Kostas Manolas gives them one of the world’s most formidable center back pairing. The rest of the world already had to deal with Napoli’s elite attack, but now they’ll also have to find ways to score against a defence that features Manolas and Kalidou Koulibaly. That will be an unbelievably difficult task for any team. That move, coupled with the continued development of young talents like Fabian Ruiz, Alex Meret, and Arkadiusz Milik should make them a formidable opponent for anybody next season. Should we even mention the arrival of the dynamic Hirving Lozano?

Atalanta

The undisputed surprise packages of the 2018/2019 Serie A season. Atalanta finished third last season, the best ever in the club’s history. The pessimist out there would argue that the only place to go for them this season is down. Contrary to this, the optimists see an opportunity for more success. Most attribute the club’s success in recent times is to the team’s ability to produce youth players in abundance. Atalanta, however, have also gotten older and more experienced. In addition to striker Duvan Zapata, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men feature several newcomers in strikers Luis Muriel and midfielder Rusian Malinovskyi. This will allow the team to remain competitive both in the league and the Champions League group stages that begins next month. With their attack stronger than ever, there’s no limit to this team’s potential as they continue to shock teams across Italy. Many believe that the departure of young central defender Gianluca Mancini left a huge vacuum in their back-line that hasn’t been properly filled as of yet. Though Atalanta have been almost inactive in this transfer window, the fact that they kept a talented core together should be enough for Gian Piero Gasperini’s men to have a decent run in their maiden appearance in Europe’s biggest tournament.

Atalanta BC coach Gian Piero Gasperini looks on during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and UC Sampdoria at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia on October 7, 2018 in Bergamo, Italy.

(Oct. 6, 2018 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe)

Luring in the best gaffers

There has been a considerable number of coaching changes in the Serie A this off season. Interestingly, four of the teams that finished in the top six last year appointed new managers. Juventus hired Sarri to guide them to Champions League glory, while Inter brought in the services of another former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte. AS Roma captured the services of former Shakhtar Donetsk coach Paulo Fonseca. Only Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli and the highly impressive Gian Piero Gasperini, who led Atalanta to third position, remain unchanged. These factors are likely to be key and become a determining factor regarding who walks away with the Serie A title come May 2020.

On paper, it looks likely to be a three-horse race for the honours this season with perennial runners-up Napoli as well as Inter, likely to push Juventus all the way. With more world class players being drawn to the league each passing season, the attractiveness of this league is moving at lighting speed. Now with all said and done, this Serie A campaign might just be one of the most exciting in years and better still, the only way for this league seems to be all the way up! Who’re you’re vouching for?

The pursuit of justice for racial abuse on Kalidou Koulibaly continues

We cannot not deny the impact of the efforts that have been made by the responsible authorities over the years to curb racism but still, players of color often receive this kind of abuse on and off the pitch. On the 26th of December 2018, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly was a subject of racial abuse in a match with local rivals, Inter Milan. We have been made to believe that the due process to deal with such issues is to report it to the FIFPro and UEFA who will launch a probe on the matter before making a decision. However, no action has been taken so far against the disrespectful fans. Here’s a recap.

The incident

Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between SSC Napoli and Liverpool at Stadio San Paolo on October 3, 2018 in Naples, Italy.

(Oct. 2, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

The Senegalese defender was at his job on a typical matchday Sunday in the Italian Serie A before the unfortunate incident took place. Some of the Inter Milan fans started making monkey noises directed at Kalidou Koulibaly in the match. The player was then sent off after picking up 2 yellow cards. He was suspended for two matches as punishment for sarcastically clapping off the referee after receiving marching orders. In the aftermath, Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti came out to say that they made calls to end the match after hearing the abuse but it fell on deaf ears. He was not pleased with the way the officials handled the matter in the game.

Koulibaly’s support system

Not so long after, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba wore an armband in support of Kalidou Koulibaly after the incident. The player’s message was clear and directed to the perpetrators who are fighting against the game’s values of honor, tolerance and respect. He was not the only one to show much needed support to the player. Even the Inter Milan coach, Luciano Spalletti was quoted to having said, “We were with Koulibaly, as we are at the side of all those who are targeted during the games.”

Also, fellow African Faouzi Ghoulam of Napoli wore Koulibaly’s No 26 shirt in the warm up for the game against Bologna in which the defender was suspended. He was joined by the fans who held up anti-racism banners and photos of Koulibaly.  

Ancelotti’s threat

Carlo Ancelotti has since threatened to lead his team off the pitch if there is a repeat of such an incident. There is no place for racism in the game of football and everywhere else. He said, “The boy was on edge, he's an educated footballer who was targeted. What happened today was bad, not only for us but also for Italian football.”

The authorities’ actions

The Italian League judge gave the verdict that Inter Milan would play the next two home matches behind closed doors. This means that their supporters would not be allowed to populate the stadiums and support their club. Also, the verdict included a partial closure for the club’s third home game.

However, the culprits who led the chants have not been punished. The Italian FA should do more and make sure that these fans are banned from the stadium for life.

Pep’s oiled City machine is not too far from being Europe’s best

Change is everywhere. A Ronaldo-less Real Madrid whose reins Zidane left for Lopetegui, a star-studded Barcelona figuring out their style and philosophy, a Juventus adjusting to life with Ronaldo but without Gigi Buffon, laughable Manchester United, Bayern Munich also adapting to the new manager in Niko Kovac and many more countless examples. Who then is the new king of football or rather who is lurking to be? Here are three fast reasons detailing why I think Manchester City is going to give many teams a run for their money and outcompete the best.

1. Pep Guardiola

Manchester City Manager Josep Guardiola on stage during the Manchester City Trophy Parade in Manchester city centre on May 14, 2018 in Manchester, England.

(May 13, 2018 - Source: Lynne Cameron/Getty Images Europe)

It’s safe to say that the Spaniard has stamped his authority at the Etihad heading into the third year at the club. His players understand him more and will be more eager now to listen to his ideas after witnessing just how much greatness he can cook up, racking up a record 100 Premier League points in the 2017/18 title-winning season. Pep has won it all with Barcelona and Spain but still remains hungry for any kind of trophy, which happens to be the same hunger and energy he transfers to his players, approaching every match as a final and staying focused without growing complacent. An ideal recipe for repeated success. More than his personal intelligent football mind and passion, Pep has just the right staff to complement him. In particular, his assistant, Mikel Arteta is reported to be Guardiola’s secret weapon. When the going gets tough, Pep is never shy to take a back seat and allow Mikel to express himself for the benefit of the team. Just recently, Mikel Arteta’s plan for Mendy and Sterling is reported to have led to City’s second goal against Arsenal in their 2-0 win in the opening match of the campaign.

In a nutshell, I think the rapport and understanding that he has with his players is second to none. It’s the kind that makes a team Europe’s best when combined with quality players who have a fantastic attitude and experience.

“Look at Benjamin Mendy for example, in these first two matches of the season, he has been adopting a hybrid left-back, wingback/ central midfielder position, something thrilling at the sound of it. Wait until you watch him play.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

2. Squad depth and experience

Manchester City pose for a team photo prior to the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on April 10, 2018 in Manchester, England.

(April 9, 2018 - Source: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Europe)

Manchester City’s bench over the weekend in matchday 2 of the Premier League comprised of 50 million fullback Kyle Walker, 60 million winger in Riyad Mahrez, the 2017/18 PFA Young Player of The Year in Leroy Sane, the club’s second top goal scorer in the previous campaign in Raheem Sterling, former Barcelona goalkeeper, Claudio Bravo and 2014 FIFA World Cup finalist Nicolas Otamendi. It’s not like they were resting their main players, the first eleven of that day played and brushed aside Huddersfield, 6-1 as if it were that easy, they just make it look easy. That City team that consisted of two world cup winners, finalists, semi and quarter-finalists. Even of the just ended 2018 FIFA World Cup. They have enough winners to win anything in that squad who have the years, talent and passion on their ‘rap sheet.’ The agonizing loss to Liverpool in last year’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final loss to Liverpool would have taught them plenty and will be undoubtedly gunning for the UEFA gold medal this campaign. Man to man, they can match any European team right now, just pick and choose any of their players at random.

3. An ever-evolving playing style and identity

Pep’s arrival at City did not only commence the reformation of the Manchester club but football as a whole in England. Guardiola made the attractive way of playing football great again after Chelsea and Leicester had won the EPL title employing quite defensive tactics. Now, everyone wants to play. Chelsea parted ways with Antonio Conte for that reason and acquired Sarri, Liverpool continues to enjoy Klopp’s talents, Everton sacked Sam Allardyce for the same boring football, Arsenal is learning to do the same with Unai Emery and Mourinho’s Manchester United seem to be ailing as a result of refusing to dance to the new song. Man City’s style is not only fun to watch but delivers results by reason of it being a system where he can plug and play any of the players who are happy to delivers exactly as per the prescribed requirements. When many teams are struggling to maintain a certain identity and character as a team, we see Pep do it and dynamically so. Look at Benjamin Mendy for example, in these first two matches of the season, he has been adopting a hybrid left-back, wingback/ central midfielder position, something thrilling at the sound of it. Wait until you watch him play. Many thought the champions will falter without the injured DeBruyne but Bernardo Silva is stepping up also bringing in a new dimension to the squad. City are stable and continuously innovating. They will be hard to stop, quite hard to deny anything.

“I wouldn’t say we waited, but it was clear when we saw the starting XI, the teamsheet, they would change their formation from what they’ve usually done in the past.”

— David Wagner, Huddersfield Manager

Leroy Sane of Manchester City celebrates the third goal with Kyle Walker during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on March 1, 2018 in London, England.

(Feb. 28, 2018 - Source: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Europe)

How far do you think they will go this season? Share with us in the comment box below.

FT English Premier League Preview: Can Salah replicate his form from last season?

I imagine this question has been on everybody’s mind since Liverpool’s Champions League Final against Real Madrid. People are wondering if the Egyptian wizard Mo Salah can replicate his performances from last season. There is no simple answer to this question, but I will try to break down my thought process and let you in on how I think the forward can be a threat in the coming 2018/19 EPL season.

2017/18 was a fairytale season for new summer signing Mo Salah who arrived at Liverpool from AS Roma for a fee believed to be around £35m. Many thought it was an expensive purchase for a player who was most likely going to be a substitute when Klopp’s workhorse, Adam Lallana, returns from injury. Little did we know that the African star sought to challenge the records not just for the club but the historical competition dubbed ‘the most competitive in the world’. Mo Salah grew week by week into a fierce striker capable of scoring against any opposition placed in front of him. If you were not following football last season, you definitely need to know that he scored a record-breaking 32 league goals as well as providing 10 assists in the process. Perfection personified!

Now, the talk has been going on about whether he can grow from this season and replicate this performance especially after seeing his World Cup dreams dashed early in Russia. The Liverpool forward had suffered an injury in the UEFA Champions League final against 13-time champions Real Madrid. This meant that he arrived at the tournament in Russia not fully fit and was unable to make it past the group stage. Many believe that this dented his confidence and could affect his performances in the upcoming season commencing on the 10th of August. Some even drop in the issue of fatigue and say that he has not had enough time to rest which means that he is most likely going to burn out. All these arguments are fair and point to the direction that our bets should not be on the 24-year old Egyptian to star again under Klopp.

But what about the other side of it? What does history say about people like him who dramatically exceed expectations in their first seasons at big clubs? Players, who build year-on-year? Let me help you. Think of Tottenham’s Harry Kane. The forward shocked people when he scored 21 goals in the 2014/15 season. Some even called it a fluke and were convinced that the striker would never come close to those numbers again. Well, they were right. Not in the sense that he failed to reach 21 goals again, but that he has consistently scored more than 21 since that season. He went on to score 25, 29 and just recently reached the 30 goal-mark in a heated race for the golden boot with Salah. This is evidence of a player playing in the same league who managed to produce the goods after an unbelievable season.

Apart from that, Salah’s performance against Manchester City in the International Champions Cup on the 26th of July, 2018 shows that he has not let his foot off the gas. The player was brought onto the pitch in the second half with their team trailing by one goal to nil. It took him only 3 touches in just 53 seconds to find the back of the net and draw Liverpool on level pegging against Pep Guardiola’s side. The Egyptian headed past the helpless Joe Hart despite there being calls for him being offside. His presence inspired the Merseyside club into a victory as Sadio Mane finished off the comeback with a calmly taken penalty on the 94th minute.

What else did they talk about? Oh, yes. Fatigue. They say he is not going to be fit throughout the season. I think these comments are premature as well. Liverpool now have the strength in depth that they have lacked in recent seasons. They recently acquired the services of a certain Swiss talent called Xherdan Shaqiri. The man is short but can give you problems on the flanks and cutting in on his favored left peg. He is most likely going to be taking over in the matches that are not a top priority to the club which especially the cup games. If not him, then Lallana as well will be ready to prove to everyone that he is still a capable team player. All these options mean that Salah can afford to rest and be recalled in the big games to terrorise the defence like he is capable of.

Finally, he must be hungry for success. After witnessing his team bow out to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid, Mo Salah must be bitter about that loss, and his lack of contribution due to his injury. His dream, like every other player, is to win the biggest competition in Europe and shine on the biggest stage. After having tasted the fruits of hard work by reaching the final, he must be ready to push again, create chances, and score more goals for Liverpool to realise his dream. Antoine Griezmann is an example of a player who cried countless times after being eliminated by Real Madrid in the competition. But that pushed him to work harder and await his opportunity, and now he is a World Cup champion. Salah is ready for success. I believe he will replicate his performance. What’s your take?

Abroad: Latest instalment of the Salah show, a dozen club accolades

Man of the hour, perhaps the days, months, years and lifetimes is not showing any signs of losing his blistering form. The Egyptian forward struck again on Tuesday night in Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League victory against Manchester City to book a semi-final date with AS Roma on the 22nd of April. Football commentators now believe he has some ice in his veins because of his ever-increasing ice-cold finishes that have always proven decisive to Liverpool’s cause in this campaign. The club, Liverpool FC have awarded him a sixth Player of the Month award for March 2018. Moh Salah scored six goals in five matches in the month including the four he bagged against Watford. In similar fashion, the Premier League also merited him a third Player of the Month Award for March, becoming the first person to win a hat-trick of such awards.

Salah is the leading goal scorer in the Premier League with 29, five goals ahead of closest chaser, Harry Kane. He is on 39 goals for the season and one more goal will make him the first player to reach 40 goals for Liverpool since Ian Rush in 1986-87. Speaking at Melwood after receiving the club award, he is what the Egyptian King had to say.

“Thank you. I’m very happy to win it again, but as I said many times the most important thing is to win the games and to get the points. I always try to score to help the team to get the points.”

— Mohamed Salah

His Manager, Jurgen Klopp, also had something to say on his Premier League Player of the Month hat-trick.

“It’s deserved — it’s not that you think; Wow, how did that happen?. He is an outstanding player and we played a really good season, but he is in all the decisions — in decisive moments, he is involved.”

— Jurgen Klopp

Do you think Salah can lead Liverpool to UCL glory, an outstanding World cup campaign for Egypt and possibly win the Ballon D’or?

Pique talks about his rocky relationship with Pep

Gerard Pique enjoyed a successful period under the management of Pep Guardiola during his early years at Barcelona. The Spanish defender won a treble in his first season with Pep and saw the birth of a new era which was dominated by the Catalans both domestically and in Europe. The defender, however, fell out of favor from Guardiola because he lost his obsession of football. The 31-year old could not understand why their coach wanted the players to be obsessed with football 24/7 even after being with the players for so many years and knowing that they already understand his concepts. The defender was eventually benched in the El Clasico (Barcelona vs Real Madrid) match that followed and he was angry. He started thinking if it was the end of his playing career and these thoughts crushed him.

The player returned to scene in a big match against Chelsea in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League only to be replaced on the 20th minute after suffering an injury. Barcelona was eliminated and Guardiola announced his departure shortly after that. What he cannot process to this day is how things would have turned out if he had stayed at Barcelona. Pique was given a wakeup call by that experience and has not looked back. He has proved to be reliable whenever he is called upon since then and does not look like he will be replaced anytime soon. Do you think Pique’s attitude was justified? Tell us why in the comments below?

Xavi shares some of his footballing genius

Xavi Hernandez has shared his secrets in football after being called a ‘Master of Football’ by fellow legend Diego Maradona. The 38 year old Al Sadd midfielder plans to retire at the end of this season after a stellar career predominantly played at Barcelona and the Spanish national team where he won all trophies that can be won by a player i.e. FIFA World Cup, Club World Cup, Euros, UEFA Champions Leagues, Domestic Leagues and Cups. He has lifted them all. His secret is using his strengths. He claims to be just a student of the Cruyff’s school and that he has found a way to compensate for his weakness in lacking speed. He was taught to use his brain and look 360 degrees every time he is on the ball so that he is aware of the options around him. He gave an example of Mbappe saying that the young forward can put the ball forward, run, and pass the player because he has the legs for it but Xavi’s strength was to find the next option and make a quick pass before the opponents close down the spaces. His brain was his mantra and his basic football made him one of the greats admired by many. Do you think that football is really that easy and that keeping it simple can make someone a ‘Master of Football’? Could it be that the Spaniard does not want to tell us his secrets on how to be a great player? Drop your comments below.

UEFA Champions League draw could bring out explosive matches

Spanish Marca has been looking at the UEFA Champions League draw and assessing top-notch clashes that could be juicy for the tournament in the quarterfinals. It has been confirmed that former AC Milan and Chelsea forward, Andrey Shevchenko will be the one to reveal the balls for the draw on Friday. Only 5 of the 8 teams left have won this competition before with Real Madrid leading the rest with 12 titles. Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool have all lifted the trophy on 5 different occasions. Juventus have only two. It is important to note that AS Roma, Manchester City and Sevilla have not yet enjoyed much success in this European competition but some of these teams have reached the semis and final of this tournament before. Some of the potential ties after the draw could be an El Classico which is Real Madrid vs Barcelona. This fixture is the biggest rivalry in the world and would be ideal to be reserved for the latter part of the competition like the semifinals. Next up could be Real Madrid vs Manchester City. Pep Guardiola has undeniably set up a fierce team that is capable of beating anyone on their day and it would be nice to see how they fare against the defending champions. Visit the link to see the rest of the potential fixtures.

PSG Behavior Under Scrutiny

To add salt to the Real Madrid-inflicted wound, the Parisians have now gotten the attention of the UEFA board who are looking to investigate on their compliance with the Financial Fair Play rules and the behavior of their ultras. The cash-rich club have invested a lot in their squad as they spent hundreds of millions to find talent in each position in the pitch and possibly a substitute for each bar those two players in the picture, Rabiot and Kimpembe who have come through their academy. UEFA has made a conscious decision to intervene and analyze their books especially because of their recent deals of Neymar and Mbappe whom they bought in a collective $380 million deal in the summer of 2017. The other issue is about the behavior of their fans who used flares and lasers, blocked the stairways and were terribly organized in their match against Real Madrid. The club has already received penalties before with a section of their ground being closed due to indiscretions. Could they be banned from making any purchases in the coming two transfer windows? Anything is possible in the game of football.

Battle of the Struggling

The UEFA Europa League clash between Arsenal and AC Milan on Thursday evening represented the battle of two teams that have pretty much been poor over the course of the season so far. AC Milan, much like Arsenal, has been a giant in their country Italy and their fans have a lot of expectations for the club that used to deliver titles when they had players like Seedorf, Pirlo, Maldini and current coach Genaro Gattuso. Gattuso’s team invested in young players like Andre Silva, Hakan Cahlanoglu, Rodriguez, Bonucci among others who were sought after by big clubs in Europe last summer. To the fans’ disappointment, the club has been underperforming regardless of who plays. The same can be said about the Arsenal side that took pride in beating poor AC Milan 2-0 in the San Siro. It was arguably a miracle for the team to turn up against their counterparts whom they lost 4-0 during the days of Robin van Persie. Last night, Mkhitaryan justified his switch to Arsenal with the opening goal less than 15 minutes into the game. Ramsey scored the other right on the stroke of halftime but all credit must go to Mesut Ozil who was bossing the game in midfield as he assisted both goals. This result does not fool the Arsenal faithful though because they face a mountain to climb if they keep progress in this tournament which is their only hope of UEFA Champions League qualification for next season.

UEFA Takes No Action Against Racism Claim

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is the administrative body for association football in the European continent. They highlight the fight against racism and all forms of discrimination in football stadiums in all competitions. Liverpool’s young striker Rhian Brewster believes that racists will take encouragement after UEFA failed to take any action against his claims of racial abuse. The England U17 player claims that he was racially abused in the match against Spartak Moscow, a Russian team that has been involved in several alleged racist incidents in recent years. UEFA could not take any action because they could not find conclusive evidence after investigating the allegations. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed because racism is a toxic disease that should be dealt away with. All people of any race are equal and they sacrifice a lot to make the game of football better. Respect should be given to all.

Impact of Football on Fans

How often do we actually sit down and think about the value that football adds to the avid soccer fan? Well, at FirstTouch Football, we like looking into such things and think about the impact. Does football bring joy, despair or any other emotion? Here’s our thought process.

In a tournament like the UEFA Champions League, there are two different types of teams that are often seeded against each other in the knockout rounds. The first being the typical giants like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, most recently Paris St Germain among others. These are very big teams with great ambitions. They are often expected to win every match that they play during the season. This is different to the kind of teams like Liverpool, Basel, FC Porto and the like who are usually in this tournament just to try their luck and see where it takes them. It is not like they really look forward to lifting the trophy at the end of the tournament. This is just how it is. Having said that, this mentality within the team spreads out to a fan of the teams in question such that, whenever a soccer season starts, they know the limit to their expectations on their favorite teams.

When the tournament commences, nerves are prone to attacks. Fans have a scare when their teams fail to score, concede penalties, and receive red cards among other things. It doesn’t end there, some go home disappointed in the results. This has an impact on a person’s mood for the rest of the day and even sometimes the following days as you’ll be having some fans of other clubs sometimes rubbing the defeat in your face.

Enough said about the negative energy. What about winning? How’s that? ArsenalFan TV (on YouTube) has been a great platform that shows the emotions of fans post matches. The excitement, joy or happiness you see on the faces as their teams triumph in derbies or big matches is priceless. Soccer fans literally cannot stop smiling when they reflect on their teams performances after big wins. However, this is only beaten by claiming the title in any competition. Being the team to defeat everyone in the competition brings pride to the club and the fans. I mean, this is why people support football. To hopefully see their team lift a trophy at the end of the competition. Unfortunately, the trophy is only lifted by one team in any competition which sometimes mean that one team in a league of twenty is celebrating. What then would be a fair evaluation of the impact of soccer at such a moment? Does it bring happiness to the fans more than disappointment? What do you think?